Brown Sugar Meatloaf

Ingredients

• Serving Size - Serves 6
• 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 medium carrot, peeled and diced
• 1 stalk celery, trimmed and diced
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 teaspoon chilli powder
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme or 1 Tablespoon freshly chopped thyme leaves
• 2/3 pound minced beef
• 2/3 pound minced pork
• 1 pound good quality pork sausage meat
• 7 Tablespoons tomato ketchup, divided
• 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce, divided
• 1 1/2 cups fresh white breadcrumbs
• 1 small bunch flat leaf parsley, leaves chopped
• 1 large egg beaten
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 2 Tablespoons brown sugar

Directions

Meatloaf

1. In a large non-stick frying pan over medium high heat, heat the oil. Add the onions and gently fry for 2-3 minutes. Add the carrot, celery and garlic and cook until soft, about 10 minutes. Stir ocasionally.
2. Stir in the chilli powder and thyme. Continue to cook for 2 minutes.
3. Remove from heat. Pour the cooked vegetables into a large mixing bowl and allow to cool for 10-15 minutes.
4. Preheat the oven to 400F
5. In the bowl with the cooled vegetable mixture, add the beef, pork, sausage meat, 3 Tablespoons ketchup, 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, breadcrumbs, parsley, egg, salt and freshly ground pepper. Using clean hands, mix until well combined.
6. Put the meatloaf mixture into a 9"x5" loaf pan or place in a small roasting tin and roughly shape into a 10"x5" loaf. Be sure the roasting tin has edges so the juices do not leak.
7. In a small bowl, mix the remaining 4 tablespoons ketchup, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce and the brown sugar. Evenly spread over the top of the meatloaf.
8. Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes until cooked through.
9. Remove the cooked loaf from the oven. Carefully transfer to a serving plate and loosely tent with a piece of tin foil until ready to serve.

Gravy

1. Drippings from cooked meatloaf
2. 1 1/2 cups beef or pork stock
3. 1 Tablespoon plain flour
4. 1 Tablespoon brown sugar
5. 1 teaspoon ketchup salt and pepper
6. In a small sauce pan over low-medium heat, pour in the drippings from the cooked meatloaf. Whisk in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until a thick paste forms; about 20-30 seconds. Slowly add the stock, a little bit at a time, stirring constantly. Once you have added all the stock, stir in the ketchup and brown sugar.
7. Allow the gravy to come to a boil. Reduce heat slightly and simmer, stirring continuously, until thickened; about 4-5 minutes.
8. Season according to taste with salt and pepper.

To Serve

1. Cut the meatloaf into thick slices.
2. Pour a small amount of gravy over the meatloaf and serve with the remaining gravy on the side.